The Horsefly River Watershed
has Rights of Nature or Personhood, declared on November 20th, 2025.
The Horsefly River Roundtable (HRR) has already had the Watershed declared as a Fisheries Sensitive Watershed.
On June 7, 2018, Order FSW_5_001 was brought into law after six years of fighting for more conservation. This order sets out the percentage of clearcut that can exist at any given time, each sub basin has been assigned a tipping point.
We have learned that critical watersheds should never surpass a disturbed area of 20%.
Three years ago, the HRR used available data to determine that the hectares of clearcut were near the cumulative total.
We wrote a letter to the province asking for a public process for
tracking disturbance, better monitoring and stricter prescriptions by Foresters.
A year and a half ago a working group was struck between all stakeholders. A year ago we filed a formal complaint to the Forest Practices Board and earlier this year we passed a resolution to amend each sub basin within the order to 20%.
All of these things are progressing slowly and we currently see logging plans to clearcut the most sensitive forests at high elevations which are highly prone to detrimental landslides.
We live here and we see the decrease of insects and wildlife and an increase in siltation and debris. Available science paints a dark picture and strengthens our need to find a balance.
This spring we made contact with Ecojustice and are grateful for their help in crafting our
Draft Declaration on the Rights of the Horsefly River.
Pledge your support online and join our efforts to become part of the global movement to protect the land, water, wildlife and air.
For more information contact Horsefly River Roundtable Chair
Brian Englund 250.620.3509
Read about the Nature Rights Declaration and the Horsefly River
